Trust Me
by ofspiritsandpuzzles
Summary: Jounouchi finds himself suffering from nightmares after being controlled by Marik, so Yami presents him with an option to rid himself of these nightmares and overcome his fear once and for all. What starts off as a simple offer turns into an experience that brings the two closer than ever before… both figuratively and literally. (Dragonshipping one-shot)


_Anger. Frustration. A desire for vengeance._

 _All he could feel was negative emotions clouding his mind, controlling his words and actions._

 _The feelings weren't his, he_ _ **knew**_ _they weren't_ _—_ _the longer the duel went on for, the more_ _ **wrong**_ _it felt... and yet the harder it became to regain control._

 _It was like he was surrounded by nothing but darkness, seeing and hearing the battle playing out before him, yet being unable to do a single thing._

 _"I won't let you control me! Yuugi... I'm not supposed to duel him like this! I don't want to hurt him!"_

 _He pounded on the invisible walls keeping him caged inside his own mind, a shiver running down his spine as he heard that bastard Marik's laughter from all around him._

 _"_ **So you think you can break free? Fool.** _"_

 _"I won't let you use me to hurt my friends!"_

 _"_ **And what can someone as weak as you possibly do to help them?** _"_

 _"I... I-it doesn't matter, I'll figure something out, but I won't let you hurt them!"_

 _"_ **Weak. Pathetic. They're better off without you and you know it. You only hold them back** **—** **you hold** _ **him**_ **back. Why fight it when you know it's true?** _"_

 _"Shut up, shut up,_ _ **shut up!**_ _"_

 _He screamed, struggled, tried to break out and regain control, but in the end he was completely and utterly powerless as his body was used to take down the people he loved most, until finally_ _—_

* * *

Jounouchi shot up in bed with a shout, his breathing heavy and his body trembling as he quickly moved a hand to grip his chest, shakily moving his legs and hands to make sure that he was still in control of his own body.

 _A dream... it was just a dream._

No, it was more than a dream, and he knew it—ever since Battle City, ever since seeing and experiencing first-hand the horrors that that damned Millennium Rod brought about, he'd been having recurring nightmares.

They hadn't been so vivid at first, but the more time he had to relax, the more on-edge he found himself getting, and the worse the nightmares began to be. The content of each varied from night to night, but the general result was the same: it was as if he instinctively knew that this was just the calm before yet another storm, and as if to taunt him, the nightmares became a constant reminder that he would only be a hindrance to Yuugi—to _Yami_ —if anything were to happen again.

Sure, he'd held his own in the duels that followed once he'd been freed from Marik's grasp, even against Marik himself (though he did wind up losing in the end), but... duels were one thing—but magic? Millennium items? Mind control? How the hell was he supposed to defend himself against things like that? What if someone else showed up and tried to use him again? He'd be just as powerless as he was before to stop it.

Jounouchi fell back onto his pillow with a drawn-out sigh, resting an arm over his bloodshot eyes.

A week without a good night's sleep was starting to wear him down—hell, forget Millennium Items; he doubted he'd even be able to hold his own against the teachers at school at this rate.

 _Not like I could stay home, though. Wouldn't want to either, with that good-for-nothing father of mine around._

School was a much-needed escape from his home life, but right about now he needed an escape from his thoughts more than anything else.

 _Maybe dueling Yuugi at lunch tomorrow will help me take my mind off of things. No sense in worrying about the future, anyway_ _—_ _whatever happens, happens._

It was a hollow reassurance at best, but it was all he could do at the moment to help put his mind at ease enough for him to fall back into a restless sleep.

* * *

"Jounouchi-kun?"

No response.

"Hey, Jounouchi-kun?"

Still no response.

" _Jounouchi-kun!_ "

Jounouchi jumped at the sudden shout, dropping the cards in his hand and nearly knocking his deck over in the process.

"What the hell, Yuugi? You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

Yuugi frowned. "Jounouchi-kun, I called your name three times and you didn't answer... it's your turn."

"O-oh, right... I knew that. I was just... thinking of a strategy, that's all!"

From the worried expression on Yuugi's face, Jounouchi could tell that his friend wasn't buying his transparent lie one bit, and he sighed. "It's nothing Yuugi, honest."

"But you don't look really good... are you feeling sick?"

"Nah, I'm fine," he responded, before giving an inch and adding, "Just a bit tired, that's all. No big deal, really."

He should've figured it was useless to hope that his friend would let it drop after that, but then again, that was just one of many things that made Yuugi such a great friend.

"Tired? Were you up all night or something?" Yuugi frowned in thought. "Now that I think about it, you've been pretty out of it this past week... did something happen?"

"Ah, well... yeah, lots of things happened," he conceded vaguely. "Guess my mind's still a bit high-strung, but I'll get over it."

Yuugi hummed in thought before falling silent, his hand idly playing with the puzzle around his neck, and Jounouchi knew without even being told that he was conversing with Yami—about what, he wasn't entirely sure, but the spirit was even more perceptive than Yuugi was, so it was possible that he'd already realized exactly what was keeping Jounouchi's mind so 'high-strung.'

 _I hope he didn't realize, though... I can't rely on them forever_ _—_ _I need to get over this on my own._

"Jounouchi-kun."

He quickly glanced up at the sound of the stern yet familiar voice, surprised to find that Yami had taken Yuugi's place across from him.

 _When did he...?_

"It's nightmares, isn't it?"

Jounouchi's refusal to meet his eyes was all the affirmation that Yami needed.

"I can help."

At that, Jounouchi finally was able to bring himself to look at Yami, his expression surprised—but that surprised expression quickly changed into a resigned smile as he shook his head.

"Sorry; I appreciate the offer, but even you can't help me with something like this—it's all in my head, so I've got to get over it myself."

Yami chuckled quietly, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

"Why don't we see about that?"

Jounouchi blinked, thrown off by the familiar phrase: it was something he would always say whenever he got the upper hand, or when he knew something that his opponent didn't, but even _he_ wouldn't be able to do anything to help in a situation like this... would he?

The sound of the bell signaled the end of both lunch time and their conversation, but whereas Jounouchi was left confused and wanting answers, Yami seemed completely unperturbed—almost amused, even.

"I'll explain later," was all the pharaoh said before switching with Yuugi, who quickly began gathering up his cards and returning them to his bag.

"Yuugi, do you have any idea what he was talking about?" Jounouchi asked as he gathered up his own cards, shoved them in his bag, and rose to his feet.

The enigmatic smile that Yuugi gave him in response did nothing but deepen his confusion and curiosity—but at the very least, it gave him something to focus on to help him get through the rest of the day without passing out in class.

* * *

"What?! You're giving me your puzzle?!"

"Just for the night," Yuugi reminded him, holding out the puzzle with a smile.

"But... I don't understand, how is this going to help anything?"

"My other self didn't really give me any details, but he said he'd be able to help you stop having nightmares if you kept the puzzle with you."

 _Right... Yami's soul is in that puzzle or something like that, isn't it? But..._

"Well, I guess if he says it'll help...," Jounouchi conceded skeptically, reaching out and taking the proffered puzzle from his friend's hands. "But are you _sure_ this is alright?"

 _ **It's alright, Jounouchi-kun.**_

Jounouchi let out a startled yelp, nearly dropping the puzzle in surprise and fumbling with it for a moment. Once he had it firmly in his hands once more, he let out a relieved sigh before glancing down at the puzzle warily.

"Y-Yami...? I'm not going crazy, right?"

He glanced over at Yuugi for reassurance, and was surprised to see the delighted expression on his friend's face.

"You heard my other self, then? So he was right!"

Jounouchi frowned. "What do you mean? What's going on?" He looked between Yuugi and the puzzle, demanding a (preferably straightforward) answer.

 _ **Normally the only one who can speak with me when I'm like this is**_ **aibou** _ **.**_ Jounouchi could practically hear the smile on Yami's face, which seemed to match the expression that Yuugi was currently wearing pretty well—even when separated, the two were surprisingly similar in ways. _**However, I had a feeling that you would be able to speak with me as long as you were holding the puzzle.**_

"But... why me?" Jounouchi couldn't understand—it's not like he had any sort of special powers or millennium items or anything like they did, so what made him so special?

 _And it's not like it's the first time I held this puzzle, either..._

His heart dropped at the memory of regaining his senses and finding Yuugi's puzzle around his neck—he hadn't heard Yami at that time, so why now...?

"It's because you're our friend!" Yuugi responded with a smile, seamlessly picking up where his counterpart left off. "You trust us, and we trust you, so our bond allows his voice to reach you!"

Jounouchi blinked in surprise, his heart lifting slightly. "... Yuugi..." Quickly trying to hide it, he shrugged modestly and glanced away with cheeks flushed in embarrassment. "You make it sound like it's a big deal... but if it's really that simple, then Honda and Anzu should be able to do the same thing, right? So it's not just me."

 _ **It's possible, but the chance of success was higher with you than with them**_ _ **—**_ _ **after all, this wasn't the first time my voice was able to reach you, remember?**_

Jounouchi blinked in surprised confusion before he realized what Yami was talking about. "That's right... when Honda and I were trying to get Yuugi and the puzzle out of that burning building, I heard your voice telling me how to get the puzzle free."

 _ **Exactly,**_ Yami responded, and Jounouchi could picture the smile on his friend's face just from the sound of his voice. _**In any case, now that we know that I can speak to you like this, you can go home and I'll help you with your nightmare situation.**_

"I still don't know exactly what you have in mind, but... seriously, are you both okay with this?" Jounouchi glanced between Yuugi and the puzzle worriedly. "I know how important the puzzle is to you, Yuugi, so... is it really okay for you to be giving the puzzle away like this, even just for a night?"

"If you're the one we're giving it to, Jounouchi-kun, then it's fine."

 _ **If you're the one we're giving it to, Jounouchi-kun, then it's fine.**_

Despite being apart, the two managed to reply in sync, and Jounouchi couldn't help but smile in response, feeling touched by their trust in him.

"... Thanks. I'll make sure to take good care of it," he replied, slipping the puzzle's chain around his neck and letting it rest against his chest. "Then I guess we should head home, huh?"

Yuugi smiled and nodded. "Goodnight, and good luck! If anyone can help you, it's my other self!"

Jounouchi grinned and gave his friend a wave in return. "I have no doubts about that. Night, Yuugi."

With that, the two went their separate ways as they headed to their respective homes.

* * *

"So, what exactly did you have in mind to help me, anyway?"

 _ **It would be best to show you rather than explain.**_

"Meaning I won't know until you spring whatever plan you've got on me."

Yami chuckled. _**No need to be suspicious**_ _ **—**_ _ **you of all people should know that my only intent is to help you.**_

Jounouchi winced guilty at that. "Sorry. My brain's just a bit fried from the lack of sleep." _And no offense or anything, but I haven't exactly had the best experience with magic and millennium items recently._

 _ **Ah, that's what I thought it was... Don't worry, no offense taken.**_

Jounouchi nearly tripped over his own feet at that, his face flushing in embarrassment. _Wait, did you just_ _—_

 _ **Read your mind? Not exactly**_ _ **—**_ _ **I can hear your thoughts, so you don't need to respond aloud,**_ came the amused reply in his mind.

 _Tch. Would've been nice to know that before I started walking through the streets talking to myself like a nutjob._

 _ **My apologies, I assumed you already knew.**_

 _It's fine, don't worry about it. You're right, now that you mention it, you and Yuugi are always talking with each other in your mind_ _—_ _but it's not like it matters, anyway; the people around here don't think very highly of me as it is, so them thinking of me as 'crazy' won't change anything_ , he responded wryly, making his way up to his apartment.

He grimaced and ducked as a beer bottle came flying at him as soon as he opened the door, ignoring his father's drunken demands to know where he'd been all day as he made his way to his room, just barely avoiding another half-filled glass bottle being thrown at him as he closed the door and locked it with an irritated sigh.

 _... Sorry about that._

 _ **You have no need to apologize,**_ came the spirit's reply, and Jounouchi was surprised to find that he could feel emotions laced into Yami's words: anger, protectiveness, worry... Jounouchi couldn't help but smile as he plopped himself down on his bed and took the puzzle in his hands, feeling a bit more comfortable speaking when he had something physical to speak to, even if it was a puzzle instead of a body.

 _Thanks, but you really don't need to worry or get angry or anything_ _—_ _that's just how my father is. It sucks, but that's life._

 _ **It shouldn't have to be your life, though**_ _ **—**_ _ **you deserve better than this.**_

 _Glad to hear someone thinks so,_ he responded with a wry smile, before firmly changing the subject. _So you said you'd show me what you had in mind, right?_

Without any warning, a transparent figure suddenly appeared at the foot of his bed, and Jounouchi let out a startled yelp and very nearly fell off of the bed in response.

 _ **My apologies, I wasn't intending on startling you.**_

Jounouchi sighed and sat up straight, putting a hand over his racing heart. "Jeez... I know you're not doing it on purpose, but give a guy a little warning next time—I'm still not used to all this magic stuff, y'know." He knew that he could still reply in his mind, but with Yami now sitting across from him, it would feel odd _not_ to respond aloud—and if his deadbeat father had anything to say, he could easily insist that it was just the alcohol making him hear things.

Before Yami could try and apologize again, Jounouchi continued speaking. "So what, are you gonna put some sort of spell on me or something to help me sleep without nightmares?" It was intended as a joke, but inwardly he was hoping that Yami wouldn't try and pull anything like that on him—he was still wary of magic, no matter how much he trusted his friend, and he wasn't sure if he'd be comfortable with him doing such a thing.

 _ **... Not entirely, no. Even if I did, it would only be a temporary solution**_ _ **—**_ _ **what I have in mind, however, is something that will hopefully be a bit more permanent.**_

 _Right... even if he did use some sort of spell, it'd probably wear off after one night_ _—_ _but 'something a bit more permanent'...?_

 _ **Jounouchi-kun.**_

Jounouchi unconsciously straightened up at his friend's serious tone, and he met his gaze, remaining silent to let the spirit speak.

 _ **I need you to open your mind to me**_ _ **—**_ _ **I'm going to help rid you of this lingering fear you have.**_

"W-wait... Yami, you're not saying you're going to...?" Jounouchi's heart dropped, his face paling as he unconsciously scooted backwards on the bed.

 _ **Jounouchi-kun.**_ Yami met the blond's eyes, his expression sincere. _**You have my word as your friend that I would never do what Marik did to you. Just trust me and open your mind to me, and I promise that you'll sleep peacefully tonight, and throughout all the nights after this.**_

Jounouchi hesitated for a moment longer, closing his eyes and gripping the bedsheets tightly in his trembling hands before taking in a deep breath and letting it out slowly. "... Alright." He opened his eyes, meeting Yami's gaze without flinching and giving him a smile—he was still afraid, but above all else he trusted Yami and he knew that his friend wouldn't do anything to hurt him. "I'm still not all that sure what exactly you've got in mind, but I trust you, so just do what you've gotta do to help me get my head on straight so I can get some sleep."

Yami matched Jounouchi's smile with a small, grateful smile of his own. _**Thank you.**_ The spirit shifted, moving closer to Jounouchi until their foreheads were pressed together, his eyes closing in concentration.

"Yami...?" Jounouchi questioned, his face heating up slightly in embarrassment.

 _ **Close your eyes and relax your mind.**_

Jounouchi did so with no further questions, closing his eyes and allowing himself to relax until he felt himself falling unconscious.

* * *

Darkness.

Everywhere he looked, there was nothing but darkness.

 _No... not again_ _—_ _!_

 _ **Jounouchi-kun, calm down!**_

Jounouchi hardly even realized how badly he was trembling until Yami was gripping him by the arms to steady him and snap him out of his panicked state.

 _Y... Yami, you..._

 _ **We're in your mind**_ _ **—**_ _ **I promise I haven't done anything to you.**_

 _So... so I'm not trapped, right...? Or being controlled?_

Yami gave him a reassuring smile. _**You're not trapped or being controlled**_ _ **—**_ _ **do you really think I would do something like that to you?**_

 _No, I know, I just... sorry._

 _ **It's fine. Come, there's somewhere I want to take you to.**_

 _Somewhere... in my mind?_ Jounouchi blinked, confused. _And for that matter, how are we seeing each other and talking to each other like this? Is this how you and Yuugi usually talk?_

 **Aibou** _ **and I usually speak like this, yes**_ _ **—**_ _ **and the place I want to take you to is within your mind, which you allowed me access to just now.**_

He couldn't entirely say that he knew what was going on, but as long as Yami was the one guiding him, he was willing to follow him anywhere—not once had his friend steered him wrong, and he highly doubted that he'd choose now of all times to start.

Despite seeing his feet moving one in front of the other, the never-ending darkness surrounding them was more than just a bit unnerving, making it feel as if they weren't going anywhere. Still, if Yami didn't appear to be bothered, then neither would Jounouchi, who kept a brave face on as he continued walking alongside his friend—until the area around them suddenly shifted, that is.

Jounouchi let out a startled yelp, reflexively moving closer to Yami. _What's happening now?!_

Yami chuckled, the sound making Jounouchi's face heat up slightly in embarrassment as he quickly moved back to his original spot and added, _Not that I'm scared or anything, of course._

 _ **We're approaching your room.**_

 _My room...?_

Yami walked along the newly-formed corridor before coming to a stop in front of the only visible door around them.

 _ **Your soul room**_ **,** he responded, opening the door and gesturing for Jounouchi to enter the room, which he did (albeit warily).

 _Woah..._

The room wasn't extraordinarily big or luxurious in any way, but there was just something about it that filled him with a sense of peace from the moment he entered the brightly-lit room.

 _Ooh hey, they looks like my old punching bag from middle school_ _—_ _and those are all the different games I've played with Yuugi_ _—_ _woah, there's a bunch of pictures here too!_

Jounouchi hardly realized that he was grinning as he glanced over the different pictures on display, his expression softening as he picked up one of the frames and looked at the picture of him and Shizuka. _I don't remember taking this picture... it's nicer than any of the ones I actually have._

 _ **It's made from your memories**_ _ **—**_ _ **this is your soul room, after all.**_

Jounouchi glanced back at Yami, frowning in confusion as he saw him lingering outside the doorway. _What are you doing out there?_

 _ **Entering someone else's soul room... it's, well...,**_ Yami began slowly, unsure of how to best phrase it.

 _Nothing bad's gonna happen if you come in, right?_

 _ **No, nothing bad will happen.**_

 _So then just come in already!_ Jounouchi responded with a laugh, making his way over to Yami and pulling him inside by the hand. _No sense in you just standing out there when you're here to help me out, right?_

It seemed that Yami had no reason to worry—either Jounouchi was completely unaware that he'd just invited Yami into the core of his very soul, or he was aware and just trusted him that much. Either way, he was honored to be able to step foot into his best friend's soul room, and he couldn't help but look around curiously, smiling to himself as he did so.

 _ **It's a bright, lively room**_ _ **—**_ _ **it really reflects who you are.**_

 _You think so?_ Jounouchi responded with a modest smile, shrugging his shoulders. _Looks like any other room to me, though._

Yami's attention was suddenly captured by the photographs on display, but Jounouchi made his way over to them before he could get a proper look, his face suddenly filled with color as he quickly tried to hide some of them.

 _Nothing to see here!_ he said with a nervous laugh, piquing Yami's curiosity—what sort of pictures did his soul deem as important that Jounouchi didn't want him to see?

Still, he was a guest in Jounouchi's soul room, so if there were things that his friend didn't want him to see then he would respect that, and so he let the subject drop without another word (much to Jounouchi's relief).

 _So... what now? How will being in this room help me sleep?_ Jounouchi asked, turning his attention back to his friend curiously.

 _ **You'll see as soon as you lay down,**_ Yami responded, gesturing to the bed in the corner of the room.

Shrugging, Jounouchi did as he was told, moving over to the bed and laying down on it. _Okay, now what?_

 _ **Close your eyes and relax.**_

Again, Jounouchi did as he was told, covering up a yawn with his hand as he began to feel himself growing drowsy.

 _ **Good... just keep your eyes closed and relax.**_

Jounouchi was so distracted by Yami's voice and his own drowsiness that he was completely unaware of Yami's form disappearing from his soul room, nor was he aware of his friend briefly taking control of his body with a silent apology in order to lay him down and pull the covers over him, allowing Jounouchi to be physically and mentally comfortable before returning to his friend's soul room.

As soon as Jounouchi drifted off to sleep, Yami could feel the darkness of his friend's nightmares encroaching on his mind—but that darkness was quickly extinguished by the light that Jounouchi's soul room emanated, and whatever small bits managed to sneak through were easily overpowered by Yami's own darkness, allowing his friend a peaceful night's sleep.

 _ **I'm sorry, Jounouchi-kun... you've been through so much because of me,**_ Yami murmured, sitting on the edge of the bed and watching his friend's peacefully sleeping face. _**And to think that you still trust me despite knowing that I was the central cause of everything that happened... I truly am blessed to have a friend like you, Jounouchi-kun.**_

 _Mmh... Yami..._

Yami blinked in surprise as Jounouchi mumbled his name in his sleep, before chuckling quietly as his friend's expression shifted into a silly grin and his body moved to spread out haphazardly atop the bed, Jounouchi mumbling something unintelligible in his sleep before letting out a loud snore.

 _ **He must be having a good dream... I'm glad.**_

The spirit smiled down at his friend, continuing to keep a vigil over him for the duration of the night to ensure that he had nothing but pleasant dreams.

* * *

As Jounouchi gradually woke up the next morning, the first thing he became aware of was a feeling of warmth and relaxation, and as he opened his eyes and sat up to stretch, he found that he felt far more rested than he had for the past few weeks.

 _ **I'm glad that you slept well, Jounouchi-kun.**_

Jounouchi blinked, only mildly surprised by the familiar voice in his head, and he glanced down at the puzzle around his neck with a smile.

 _Thanks to you_ _—_ _seriously, I don't think I've slept that well in years... are you sure you didn't use any magic?_

Yami chuckled, his form materializing at the foot of Jounouchi's bed. _**I'm sure, yes. All I did was guide you to your soul room, where the nightmares wouldn't be able to reach you.**_ With a smile, he added, _**Now that you know of it's existence, you should be able to go there on your own with little trouble, so you shouldn't have any trouble sleeping from here on out.**_

Jounouchi's smile softened in gratitude. "Thanks, bud—seriously, I've lost track of how many times you've helped me out by now." His expression faded into one of curiosity as he asked, "So what, all I've gotta do is close my eyes and I'll be able to go back to that room?"

 _ **Yes, basically, though when you get the hang of it you'll be able to do it without needing to close your eyes.**_ Yami gave him an encouraging smile. _**Try it right now**_ _ **—**_ _ **close your eyes and picture yourself back in that room.**_

 _How the heck do you go somewhere in your mind with your eyes open? Isn't that like falling asleep with your eyes open?_ he couldn't help but think skeptically, flushing in embarrassment as he belatedly realized that Yami was able to hear him. _Er, not that I'm doubting you or anything, I just_ _—_

 _ **It's fine,**_ Yami responded with a chuckle. _**And it is indeed possible**_ _ **—**_ **aibou** _ **and I do it often.**_

 _So I'm guessing that explains all the times we saw Yuugi zoning out,_ Jounouchi replied wryly before closing his eyes, his eyebrows knitting together in concentration.

 _ **The key is to relax your mind,**_ came Yami's voice from within his mind, followed by the lightest of touches to his temples, and Jounouchi took a breath before letting it out slowly and allowing his body and mind to relax as he pictured himself back in that comfortable, familiar room.

There was a slight feeling of dissociation, and suddenly Jounouchi opened his eyes to find himself lying in the bed in his spirit room, just as he'd been before he'd fallen asleep. _I... did it?_ He grinned, sitting up and hopping out of bed. _I really did it! Awesome! Those nightmares are as good as gone!_

 _ **Good job, Jounouchi-kun.**_ Yami appeared in the room hardly a second later, a proud smile on his face. _**You're already getting the hang of it, and it hasn't even been a full day**_ _ **—**_ _ **I'm impressed.**_

Jounouchi's face flushed lightly, his heart swelling and his grin widening at the praise even as he tried to play it off with a modest shrug. _I wouldn't say it's anything to be impressed about..._ A thought suddenly occurred to him, and he cursed, his good mood ruined. _Shit, I almost forgot, I've gotta go to school!_

 _ **Don't worry, you still have time,**_ Yami replied reassuringly. _**I would have woken you if it was getting too late.**_

 _Still, I should probably try and get there early to give Yuugi the puzzle back..._

Ignoring the slight twinge of disappointment that came with that thought (after all, just because he wouldn't be able to talk with Yami or be alone with him like this after giving the puzzle back didn't mean he'd never get to talk to him or see him again), Jounouchi focused on leaving his soul room and returning to his body, which—surprisingly—wasn't as difficult as he thought it would be.

 _Maybe I really am getting the hang of it after all,_ he thought absently, glancing over at the clock and smiling in relief. _Good, I've still got plenty of time to get ready and get to school early._

Making sure to keep the puzzle close by at all times (god only knows what his good-for-nothing father would try and pawn the puzzle off for if he got his hands on it), Jounouchi quickly got showered and dressed before grabbing his bag and slipping out of the apartment.

 _Man, I can't believe I feel this rested even after waking up this early_ _—_ _sleeping in that room really did the trick._

Jounouchi grinned, his hands in his pockets as he walked with a spring in his step, and Yami chuckled, floating alongside him.

 _Do you do this with Yuugi too?_ he asked, glancing over at the spirit next to him. _The whole 'floating spirit' thing I mean._

 _ **Not all the time, but**_ **aibou** _ **and I both occasionally do this when the other is in control, yes.**_

 _Yuugi too?_ Jounouchi blinked in surprise, though he supposed it made sense in a weird way—if one of them was in control, that meant the other was stuck as a spirit. _Well I guess being out here is better than being trapped in your mind or in the puzzle,_ he added, a slight shiver running down his spine at the memory. _Yeah. Being trapped in your own mind definitely isn't any fun._

 _ **Jounouchi-kun...**_ Yami's expression softened in sympathy, and he was about to speak when he caught movement from behind them out of the corner of his eye. _**Jounouchi-kun, behind you!**_

Jounouchi whirled around at the warning, but it was too late—he was suddenly struck over the head, knocking him unconscious and sending him collapsing to the ground.

 _ **Jounouchi-kun!**_ Yami knelt by his friend's side, cursing his lack of a physical form for preventing him from checking if he was alright (or from keeping his friend from getting hurt in the first place, for that matter).

"Heh, that was even easier than I thought it'd be."

Yami's attention shot up to the person who spoke, scowling and glaring despite knowing that he couldn't be seen.

"Let's see what this guy's got on him..." The thief grinned as he spotted the millennium puzzle, crouching down and reaching out to take it. "This looks like it'll sell for a nice price~"

That was the last straw—with a silent apology to Jounouchi, Yami disappeared from his friend's side and slipped into his friend's body, the puzzle's sudden glow startling the thief into recoiling and stumbling backwards.

"Wh— what the hell, I knocked you out!"

Yami rose to his feet, shooting the person a glare that made him flinch backwards before his expression changed to a smirk. "You want my puzzle that badly? Then how about we play a little game?"

"A... game?" the thief echoed warily before laughing. "And here I thought you were going to challenge me to a fight—but fine, you've got my interest, so I'll humor you." With a malicious smirk, he turned and gestured for Yami to follow him. "But how about we _play_ somewhere else? We don't want anyone interrupting our _game_ , now do we?"

He knew that he was being led into some sort of trap, but Yami nodded regardless. He followed the person with a smirk of his own on his face as he tapped into the puzzle's magic, subtly healing the wound on the back of Jounouchi's head while they walked.

It wouldn't take long for Yami to take care of this person and whoever else he was being led towards—the spirit only hoped that he'd be able to finish things before Jounouchi regained consciousness.

* * *

 _Nngh... what the hell happened...?_

Jounouchi grimaced, gripping his head and slowly opening his eyes—

—only to find himself not on the street where he'd been knocked unconscious, but rather in his soul room of all places.

 _ **You're awake... my apologies, I'd hoped to have this finished before you regained consciousness.**_

Jounouchi flinched in surprise, looking around in bewilderment as he heard Yami's voice echoing around him. _Yami, what's going on? Why am I back in this room? And what do you mean, 'hoped to have this finished'?_

A window-like screen suddenly appeared before him, and he flinched once more, startled, before paying attention to what was showing up on the screen.

 _That's..._ Jounouchi tried to think back, scowling as he realized that one of the faces he was seeing belonged to the bastard that knocked him out. _What the hell are those bastards doing?_

 _ **I challenged them to a game,**_ Yami replied, and it was only then that the pieces began to fall in place in Jounouchi's mind.

 _... You're using my body._ It was less of a question and more of a statement, but Yami felt obligated to reply regardless.

 _ **Yes, and you have my deepest apologies—if I didn't do something, they would have stolen the puzzle and anything else you had on you...**_

Jounouchi was silent for a moment before he let out a slow, shaky breath.

 _... It's fine._ And it was, honestly—yeah, he was a bit freaked out, but he trusted Yami enough to know that the spirit wouldn't have done something like this if it wasn't absolutely necessary; and besides, being in this room while Yami was in control felt much less like being trapped in his own mind than the cold darkness that came with Marik's forced control of him... actually, it was more like being at home and watching a movie filmed directly from someone's point of view, which made it a bit easier to not freak out about having no control over his own body.

 _ **Close your eyes and visualize yourself standing here in the alleyway.**_

Jounouchi furrowed his brows in confusion at the sudden command but did as he was told with no questions asked, closing his eyes and visualizing the alleyway that he'd seen on the screen. He nearly panicked when he felt things moving around him (or was he the one who was moving?) before opening his eyes to find—to his shock and slight fear—that he was hovering in the alleyway alongside his body.

 _... Woah. This is... definitely different._

He didn't have the chance to say anything further before one of the gang members charged forward, and he reflexively clenched his hands into fists and swung out... before falling through the person with a yelp, forcibly reminding him that he had no physical form at the moment.

 _If he wasn't coming after me, then—Yami!_

Jounouchi quickly turned to warn his friend, only to blink in surprise as he saw him smoothly evade the punch, a calm smirk on his face as he kept his hands in his pockets, taunting the irritated group of thugs.

 _Wow... it feels kinda weird seeing myself like that,_ he couldn't help but think as he moved off to the side, watching his friend continue to evade every last hit with surprising ease. _I look kinda cool like that though,_ he couldn't help but add, flushing slightly as the brief expression of amusement that crossed Yami's face belatedly reminded him that the puzzle's spirit could still hear him.

"Hold still, damn it!"

"And why would I do that?" Yami shot back smoothly, everything from his expression to his posture radiating confidence. "The point of the game is to get one hit on me within five minutes—and you only have a minute left to go before you lose."

 _You know, I don't really appreciate you signing my body up for a game where a group of guys have to try and hit me,_ Jounouchi piped up wryly, though he wasn't really upset—it was obvious that his body was in good hands, and he knew that Yami would have never started the game if he wasn't sure he could win it.

 _ **Well, given your body's physique, I figured this would be a simple game to win—though I admit that it took me a little longer than expected to adjust,**_ Yami added sheepishly. _**Your body is very different from**_ **aibou's** _ **... you're a lot stronger than I expected, and you have much higher endurance; I'm impressed.**_

Jounouchi blushed heavily as Yami spoke, glancing away and shrugging modestly. _Well yeah, I mean look at Yuugi's body, he's a lot smaller than me so of course I've got more strength and endurance and stuff,_ he responded. It wasn't exactly the first time someone had mentioned his strength or endurance (though most of the time it was from opponents who would wonder how the hell he kept getting up even after getting the shit kicked out of him), but to hear such genuine praise, especially coming from _Yami_... it was difficult to hide the pleased grin that kept tugging at the corners of his lips.

Yami turned his attention back to the gang, who seemed to be growing more irritated by the second—and none more so than the apparent leader of the gang.

"Boss..." The group looked to their leader uncertainly, who stepped forward with a dark chuckle.

"You think you're hot shit, huh? Well let's see how much you like _this!_ "

Jounouchi cursed as the gang leader pulled a gun out of his jacket and aimed it at Yami, before faltering in confusion at the disappointed frown on his face. His attention was then quickly captured by a brief flash coming from the puzzle, seconds before the area around them began to shift and change, darkening into a familiar setting that sent shivers down Jounouchi's spine.

 _This is...! Yami, don't tell me you're—!_

"I should have figured you would resort to such a thing... very well then. If you want to use a weapon, then that means that I can use a weapon as well."

At that, Jounouchi faltered once more, briefly forgetting his fear as he looked at Yami in a mixture of confusion and worry.

 _Er... Yami, you_ _ **do**_ _know that I don't have any weapons, right...?_

 _ **Of course you do,**_ Yami responded with a small smirk, taking—to everyone's surprise—Jounouchi's deck out of his pocket.

The gang members stared for a moment before breaking out into unabashed guffawing, but Yami paid them no mind as he looked through the deck before smirking as he found exactly the card he was looking for.

"I would have preferred to use my own deck, since most monsters won't answer the call of those who are not bound to them... however, this monster in particular is a special case," Yami spoke quietly, a soft smile briefly flitting across his face before his expression returned to a smug smirk. "You have chosen your aid, now allow me to introduce you to mine: Come forth, Red-Eyes Black Dragon!"

Both Jounouchi and the gang members watched in awe as the shadows swirled around Yami, a large, familiar dragon emerging from the darkness to float above Yami's head. One look from its piercing red eyes and a loud roar were more than enough to bring the delinquents to their knees in fear, some futilely attempting to escape while others could barely even move their trembling limbs—but while the wrongdoers felt fear, Jounouchi was surprised to find a familiar sense of comfort and safety as he looked up at Red-Eyes, the symbol of the bond between himself and his best friend.

However, he quickly snapped out of his reverie as he realized what Yami intended on doing.

 _Yami, wait, you can't—!_

 _ **Just trust me,**_ was the only reply Jounouchi received, but it was all he needed to hear—he was still a bit worried (he'd experienced for himself just how painful getting hit by an attack in a shadow game was, after all), but his trust for Yami outweighed his doubts by a long-shot, and so he fell quiet and watched to see what exactly was going to happen.

"You lost the game, and you attempted to break the rules and use a weapon. I hope that this punishment will teach you to change your ways." Yami's eyes narrowed. "Red-Eyes! Inferno Fire Blast!"

Red-Eyes let out another roar as a fire ball began to form from within its gaping maw, the shadows preventing the delinquents' escape and keeping them in place—

—before the scene shifted around them, the duel monster and shadows both disappearing and the alleyway reappearing in its place.

Jounouchi looked around with a bewildered expression, taking note of the gang members still writhing on the floor before glancing at his own body and shivering at the sight of the glowing eye on his forehead. Thankfully the symbol faded quickly, and in the time it took Jounouchi to blink, Yami had relinquished control back to him and he was back in his own body.

"That was… definitely something," Jounouchi muttered as he gripped his head, trying to regain his bearings and adjust after the sudden shift from floating spirit to physical person.

 _ **My apologies again,**_ Yami replied, his expression sincerely remorseful.

 _It's fine, I know you wouldn't have done that if it wasn't necessary,_ Jounouchi replied as he made his way out of the alleyway, making sure to stop and grab his bag off the floor before checking the time. _Crap, I'm gonna be late!_

Yami winced, feeling guilty once more—but before he could apologize again, Jounouchi cut him off.

 _Not your fault, so don't even think about apologizing—if it wasn't for you, I'd be late to school_ _ **and**_ _I would've had to explain to Yuugi that I lost you and the puzzle to some random thief. I never would've forgiven myself if that happened._ Jounouchi began running towards the school, continuing to direct his thoughts towards the spirit as he asked, _But what was up with what you did, anyway? Those guys weren't hurt, but they sure as hell sounded like they were in pain._

 _ **Every shadow game has a penalty, but it's up to the caster to decide what kind of penalty to inflict. I prefer to use shadow games to reform rather than to cause pain, and so all of my punishments are strictly limited to the mind—they may think that they're feeling pain, but it's all merely an illusion.**_

 _So Red-Eyes…?_

Yami smiled. _**Red-Eyes was there, but his power was contained within the illusion.**_

 _Huh…._ Jounouchi took all of this in with a surprising amount of calmness—though he supposed that it was because the spirit in question was his best friend and someone that he trusted with his life, so by extension he supposed that meant he trusted him with his body and whatever magic he used while using his body.

 _When did my life get so weird that magic and spirits and using other people's bodies became normal?_

Before the spirit could give a response to his (rhetorical) question, Jounouchi picked up his pace even further, just barely managing to run through the gates and into the building as the last bell rang.

Jounouchi ignored the questioning looks his friends shot him as he slid into class and into his seat seconds before the teacher walked in, the puzzle still hanging around his neck.

 _Sorry Yami, I'll pass the puzzle back over to Yuugi during lunch._

 _ **Not a problem,**_ Yami responded, already making his way over to Yuugi's side and speaking with him quietly.

 _Guess they can hear each other just fine even when Yuugi's not wearing the puzzle,_ Jounouchi mused as he turned his attention back to the teacher.

 _I can barely even believe that last night and this morning really happened…._

Jounouchi's fingers unconsciously ran along the cool metal surface of the puzzle around his neck as he leaned forward on his desk, propping his chin up on his other hand as he rested his elbow on the desk.

 _Feels weird to be wearing this instead of Yuugi,_ he absentmindedly thought as he began to zone out, the teacher's droning voice fading to the back of his mind.

 _Funny, I felt pretty well-rested before, but now I'm kinda tired…._

 _ **That would be my fault most likely.**_

Jounouchi showed no surprise at hearing Yami respond to his thoughts, instead merely glancing over in his direction in confusion.

 _ **Using your body is a bit more taxing than using**_ **aibou** _ **'s, because our souls are not connected whereas his**_ _ **and mine are. On top of that, I used shadow magic, which can also be very draining.**_

 _So I'm just tired since you did all that stuff my body's not used to. Makes sense._ Jounouchi stifled a yawn behind his hand, stiffening mid-yawn in surprise when the teacher suddenly called him out.

 _Shit, I wasn't paying attention, I don't even know what she's asking!_ "Uh, it's, uh…."

 **Aibou** _ **says the answer is 1864.**_

"1864?"

The teacher looked a bit disgruntled that Jounouchi managed to answer correctly, but reluctantly conceded and moved on after giving him a warning glare.

Jounouchi let out a relieved sigh as he slumped back down in his seat before glancing over at Yami.

 _Thanks bud._

He chanced a glance over at Yuugi when the teacher wasn't looking in order to give him an appreciative smile, and he received a grin in response.

(He also saw Honda and Anzu's suspicious expressions out of the corner of his eye, but he figured he'd explain everything as soon as they had some free time during lunch.)

 _This is pretty handy… maybe I should wear the puzzle for our next test, and you can pass answers back and forth between me and Yuugi._

 _ **That would be cheating,**_ Yami responded with an amused expression.

 _Aw c'mon, these tests are all ridiculously hard anyway; we'd just be evening the playing field a bit is all._

 _ **Phrase it however you like, but cheating is still cheating.**_

 _Fine, fine. It's still pretty cool that you can hear us both and we can both hear you. How does that work, anyway?_

 _ **It's only because I have a semi-physical form right now, but generally**_ **aibou** _ **can see and speak to me whenever the puzzle is within a certain range regardless of whether or not he's wearing it. He only needs to be in contact with the puzzle in order for us to change places,**_ the spirit explained, taking a seat on the edge of Jounouchi's desk so the blond could look at him while making it seem like he was paying attention to the teacher.

 _So you're connected with me because I'm wearing the puzzle right now, and you're connected with Yuugi through your souls, and because the puzzle is close by and you're floating around out here you can hear us both?_

 _ **That's more or less it, yes.**_

Jounouchi mulled this over curiously before moving on. _I've wanted to ask for a while now, but what exactly_ _ **is**_ _all that shadow magic stuff anyway?_

Yami smiled. _**Well, as I'm sure you know by now, it all began in Ancient Egypt….**_

* * *

Part of Jounouchi wished he could hang onto the puzzle at least at school, because chatting with Yami made the classes go by ten times faster.

 _ **You**_ **do** _ **eventually need to pay attention to your teachers, you know.**_

 _Yeah, yeah, I know._

As soon as the bell rang for lunch, Jounouchi waisted no time in gathering his belongings so he could join up with Yuugi.

"Thanks for helping me out back there," Jounouchi said with a sheepish smile as soon as he reached Yuugi's desk.

"No problem! I'm just glad my other self was able to pass on the message."

"Okay, so _now_ are you two going to explain what's going on?" Honda intervened as he made his way over to Yuugi's desk, looking back and forth between the two of them.

"Yeah, Yuugi told us you had his puzzle for the night but he said he'd explain why when you got here." Anzu added, shooting Jounouchi a look as she continued with, "But of course you barely made it to class in time."

"Hey, hey, it's not my fault this time alright? I've got a perfectly legitimate excuse!" Jounouchi defended himself with a frown. "Let's go up to the rooftop and I'll explain everything."

The blond handed Yuugi back his puzzle, feeling both relieved and disappointed—relieved that he'd officially managed to return the puzzle safe and sound, and disappointed because he could no longer see nor hear Yami, as if their connection was cut as soon as the puzzle left his hands.

 _Well, I knew it was going to happen, and I knew this wasn't a permanent thing. I'll get over it._

The group of four made their way up to the rooftop and sat down with their respective lunches before Jounouchi began to speak.

"So basically Yuugi lent me the puzzle for the night so Yami could help me out with some… stuff."

"And you could really speak with him even though Yuugi wasn't there?" Honda asked incredulously.

"I was surprised at first too, but yeah, while I was holding the puzzle I could hear and see him just fine."

"Okay, but that doesn't explain why you were late this morning," Anzu pointed out.

Jounouchi paused to take a bite of his food before responding. "Some asshole caught me off-guard on my way to school and knocked me out from behind, and Yami used my body to kick the whole gang's asses. It was pretty cool, actually."

There was a moment of silence as they processed what Jounouchi told them, before they all shot to their feet and exclaimed in unison, " _What?!_ "

"Other me, you didn't mention anything about using Jounouchi-kun's body!"

"Jounouchi, what do you mean he used your body?!"

"Guys, guys, calm down!" Jounouchi held up his hands placatingly as he stood up as well. "It's not like he was controlling me or something; we just… switched places, I guess? Like how Yuugi and Yami switch places."

"How does that work, anyway?" Anzu turned her attention over to Yuugi curiously. "What happens when you guys switch?"

"Well, normally whenever my other self takes over, I go to my soul room, but…." Yuugi trailed off, shooting Jounouchi a curious glance. "Was it the same for you?"

"Yep. Yami showed me how to get to my soul room last night, and that's where I regained consciousness after that bastard knocked me out—and if Yami hadn't taken over, that bastard would've stolen the puzzle, so I'm glad he did."

Honda hummed in thought as he eyed Jounouchi curiously. "So what, could Yami use any of our bodies, then?" With a teasing smirk, he added, "Or is it just because Jounouchi's head is so empty that there's enough room for another person in there?"

"My head is not empty!" Jounouchi scowled at the brunet before glancing over at Yuugi and holding out his hand. "Let me borrow the puzzle. Yami, you're better at explaining this sort of stuff than I am, so go ahead and take over so we can prove that I'm not lying."

"Are you sure you're alright with this?" Yuugi asked as he eyed Jounouchi worriedly, even as he handed over the puzzle.

"Of course I'm sure! I trust Yami with my life—and besides, don't you think this is cool?" Jounouchi slipped the puzzle back around his neck as he continued speaking. "Now you and Yami have a way of interacting outside your mind! You guys could actually play games with each other and stuff."

"You really wouldn't mind?" Yuugi asked tentatively, his eyes already lighting up in excitement at the thought of being able to play games with his other self.

"Course not! You two are my friends," Jounouchi responded with a grin, feeling slightly embarrassed by the grateful look on Yuugi's face.

 _ **Thank you, Jounouchi-kun. We are truly blessed to have a friend as kind as you.**_

Yami's words caused his embarrassment to grow as he responded modestly, _Nah, I wouldn't go that far—I just want to do what I can for you two after all you've done for me. That's what friends do, right?_

"Okay, this is all well and good," Honda interrupted, "but we haven't seen any actual proof that—"

The brunet cut off as the puzzle gave a sudden flash of light, Jounouchi's eyes briefly closing before reopening to reveal red irises.

"You were saying, Honda-kun?" Yami spoke with the slightest hint of a smirk on his face as he observed the surprised expressions on his friends' faces.

"Well I'll be damned…."

"No way…."

"Is that really you, other me?" Yuugi looked up into the blond's eyes with a smile that widened upon receiving a nod.

"I never thought I would be able to meet with you like this, _aibou_." _**Thank you, Jounouchi-kun.**_

Jounouchi shrugged modestly as he floated nearby in spirit form, watching the exchange with a smile. _No need to thank me; I'm always happy to help._

"I can't believe that's really Yami…," Anzu breathed out. "I'm used to seeing him switch places with Yuugi, but seeing him switch with _Jounouchi_ is… really different."

"So how does that work, then?" Honda asked, bringing the conversation back on track. "Can you just use anyone's body if they have the puzzle?"

"No, not just anyone. First, there has to be a connection—in the case of _aibou_ , our souls were linked together when he completed the millennium puzzle, and in the case of Jounouchi-kun, the connection was our friendship."

"Then does that mean you could use our bodies too?" Anzu asked. "Theoretically, I mean," she quickly added with a light blush. "I'm not too sure how comfortable I'd feel with you using my body, no offense."

"None taken, and theoretically I suppose I could, but I would have to establish a direct connection with your mind first as I did with Jounouchi-kun last night."

"And where is Jounouchi right now, anyway?" Honda asked. "In that 'soul room' that Yuugi mentioned?"

"A lot of the time when _aibou_ and I switch, whoever isn't in control will stay outside in spirit form as opposed to staying in our mind. Jounouchi-kun—" Yami cut off for a moment, an amused expression working its way onto his face as he caught sight of Jounouchi, before he continued. "Jounouchi-kun seems to have gotten… fairly used to his spirit form." At the questioning look Honda shot him, the pharaoh did his best to stop himself from laughing as he said, "He's currently floating right behind you and making… obscene gestures while laughing."

 _Aww, don't ruin my fun!_

"Jounouchi you bastard!" Honda spun around, knowing he wouldn't be able to see the blond but instinctively looking for him anyway. "Just wait until you get back in your body—!"

Anzu rolled her eyes, while Yuugi muffled a laugh behind his hand. "That sounds just like Jounouchi-kun," he remarked with an amused expression. "I'm glad he's taking all of this well."

"As am I," Yami responded, before glancing down at the puzzle around his neck. "I don't want to exhaust him though, so I think I will take my leave."

With that, Yami closed his eyes, and Jounouchi let out a mental yelp as he was suddenly pulled back into his body.

The blond blinked a few times to reorient himself. "That's still gonna take some getting used to," he muttered, before slipping the puzzle off and handing it back to Yuugi with a smile. "So there you have it, straight from the pharaoh himself."

"I think I'm more surprised that Jounouchi is okay with all of this than that Yami is actually able to use someone else's body," Anzu remarked with a raised eyebrow.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It _means_ ," Honda began, sliding over to Jounouchi and pulling him into a headlock, "that you're a wuss when it comes to occult stuff! And what was all that about 'obscene gestures' that you were making at me, huh?"

Jounouchi struggled for a moment before slipping out of the brunet's hold and flipping their positions. "I am _not_ a wuss, and it was funny!"

"I'll show you funny!"

"Bring it!"

Anzu sighed. "There they go again…. C'mon Yuugi, let's finish our lunch."

Yuugi laughed quietly as he watched his two friends tussling before giving Anzu a smile and a nod as he sat back down beside her to enjoy his lunch.

* * *

The rest of the school day passed without a hitch (save for Jounouchi nearly dozing off in class), and soon enough Jounouchi found himself back home, this time thankfully without his good-for-nothing father around.

Jounouchi quickly got everything done that he needed to do while his father was out—cooking, cleaning, all the stuff he didn't have the patience to do while his father was sitting on his lazy ass barking orders at him—before plopping himself down on his bed with an exhausted sigh.

 _Guess Yami wasn't kidding when he said him taking over drains my energy—I feel like I'm ready to pass out for the night, and it's still ridiculously early._

He couldn't help but smile to himself as he added, _Seeing how happy he and Yuugi were made it all worth it, though._

Jounouchi got himself comfortable in bed before closing his eyes.

 _Now let's see if I can get to my soul room without Yami's help…._

It was difficult to relax his mind without having Yami's voice to guide him, but remembering the pharaoh's faint, almost nonexistent touches was enough as he felt his mind slipping away.

The bright lights should have felt blinding after being in his dimly-lit bedroom, but instead it merely filled him with a sense of peace as he leisurely looked around his soul room.

 _Everything in here reflects who I am and what's important to me, huh…,_ Jounouchi mused to himself as he made his way over to the table filled with photos. A light blush colored his face as he fixed the section of photos that he'd hastily hidden when Yami was in the room with him, revealing all different memories of his time spent with the pharaoh. _I already knew it, but I guess this proves just how important he is to me, then._

His expression softened as he ran his fingers along one of the pictures: a simple shot of him and Yami walking side by side, looking at each other with soft smiles, yet even just from that simple shot he knew exactly what memory it was from.

 _The first time Yami and I ever fought side by side… I always knew Yuugi had my back, but I never wanted to put him in danger. But Yami… I knew right away that I could trust him to hold his own by my side, even back when we all just thought he was an extension of Yuugi and not his own person._

He could remember the thrill that bubbled up within him the moment that Yami took Yuugi's place and declared with that confident smirk of his that it was time for them to get some payback—not to mention how his awe and respect skyrocketed when Yami declared that he would take care of Hirutani's entire gang just so Jounouchi could focus on his more personal revenge against Hirutani himself.

Jounouchi's gaze shifted over to some of the other pictures that were focused on Yami, the memories coming to the forefront of his mind as if they happened yesterday: Yami's proud gaze as he watched him uncover Mai's trick and win his first duel in Duelist Kingdom, Yami's confident expression as he observed Jounouchi's duel against Ryuzaki, his and Yami's grins as they won their first tag duel together, Yami winning back his Red-Eyes after the Rare Card Hunter took it from him, their tag team victory against the Big 5, facing off against Yami at the end of Battle City with nothing on the line but their gamers pride and the promise of showing that he was a true duelist and earning back his Red-Eyes….

 _It's amazing how many good memories we have together…. I never would have come as far as I have without him. Without Yuugi too, but… it's different. Yuugi helped me become a better person, and Yami helped me grow into someone who can proudly hold his head up high and actually make a difference._ Jounouchi smiled softly as he ran his fingers along the picture frames. _I doubt he'd ever feel the way I feel for him, but as long as I have his friendship and his support, that's more than I could ever ask for._

It was easy to admit, at least within the safety and privacy of his own soul, that his feelings for Yami far surpassed that of a friend, or even a best friend—there was no mistaking the way his heart would race whenever the spirit traded places with Yuugi, everything from his confident posture to his (admittedly attractive) expressions sending a swell of giddiness through the blond.

With Yami by his side, even just as a friend, Jounouchi always felt like he was on top of the world, and no one could take him—could take _them_ —down.

A yawn suddenly slipped out, reminding Jounouchi of his exhaustion as he moved away from the pictures and over to the increasingly inviting-looking bed in the corner of his soul room.

 _One of these days, I'll find a way to repay Yami for everything that he's done for me…._

Jounouchi closed his eyes as soon as his head hit the pillow, and he quickly drifted off into a peaceful sleep with a smile on his face.

* * *

Thankfully, as Yami had hoped, sleeping in his soul room seemed to do the trick—an entire week went by, and Jounouchi hadn't had a single nightmare, leaving him feeling rested and more energetic than usual.

Just as Jounouchi was beginning to forget about his short time of sharing a connection with the spirit of the puzzle, Yuugi approached him at the end of the school day with a sheepish expression as he asked to speak with him.

"What's up? Everything alright?" Immediately Jounouchi's thoughts went to worst case scenarios, and he couldn't help his protectiveness from flaring up at the thought of something—or some _one_ —bothering his friend.

"Everything's fine!" Yuugi was quick to reassure Jounouchi, not wanting him to get the wrong idea. "I just… had a favor I wanted to ask you is all."

"A favor?" Jounouchi's expression faded from worried to curious as he eyed the shorter boy, unable to figure out what sort of favor he'd need that would make him look so hesitant.

"Well, you see… my parents are going to be back in town for the weekend," Yuugi began, his expression brightening into a smile at the thought of seeing his parents.

"That's great! It's been a while since you've gotten to see them, hasn't it?" Jounouchi matched his friend's smile with a grin of his own, genuinely feeling happy for Yuugi.

"Yeah, it's been about a year since I last saw them—which, uh, brings me to that favor I need to ask…." Yuugi hesitated for a moment longer before taking off his puzzle and holding it out to Jounouchi. "Would you mind looking after the puzzle for the weekend?" Before Jounouchi could respond, Yuugi quickly added, "If it's too much trouble then don't worry about it; I just didn't want to leave it home all weekend since I'm going to be staying at the hotel with my parents, and I didn't want to bring it since, well… my other self said he didn't want me to have to waste my weekend answering questions about it and reassuring them and stuff, so—"

Jounouchi cut Yuugi off by putting a hand on his head and ruffling his hair. "You just want to spend a normal weekend with your parents. I get it, and I'm sure Yami does too, so you don't have to worry about a thing." He took the proffered puzzle and slipped the chain around his neck with a smile. "I'll keep the puzzle safe, I promise."

"You're sure you don't mind?"

"Of course I don't mind, why would I?" Jounouchi responded. "It's perfect timing anyway; my dad's away for the weekend, so Yami and I can keep each other company."

Yuugi's expression faded into one of relief as he smiled up at his friend. "Thank you, Jounouchi-kun."

 _ **I must thank you as well, Jounouchi-kun—I was worried about**_ **aibou** _ **losing out on a weekend with his family because of his worry over the puzzle.**_

Jounouchi shrugged modestly. "No need to thank me," he responded to both of them. "That's what friends are for, right?" With a grin, he gave Yuugi a playful (yet careful) shove as he said, "Now go on and head home, I'm sure you've still got packing to do."

Yuugi laughed lightly. "Alright. Thanks again, and I'll see you on Monday! Bye, Jounouchi-kun, bye other me!"

Yami appeared beside Jounouchi and gave his other half a smile and a small wave in return. _**Have a good weekend,**_ **aibou.**

Jounouchi gave his friend a wave as well, watching him rush off before turning his attention over to the spirit. _Guess it's just you and me for the next two days, huh?_

 _ **I look forward to it, and I hope that looking after the puzzle won't be too much of a bother.**_

Jounouchi smiled as he began walking back home. _Nah, it's never a bother—I'm always happy to help you guys out._

 _ **And that help is always greatly appreciated,**_ Yami responded with a smile of his own as he floated alongside the blond.

 _So, what do you and Yuugi usually do over the weekend?_ Jounouchi asked, both out of curiosity and a desire to make the spirit feel comfortable. _Do you trade off and watch each other play games and stuff?_

 _ **Sometimes, and sometimes we just watch television or movies.**_ **Aibou** _ **is always showing me new, interesting things to watch.**_

 _Yeah, I'd imagine you haven't seen too many TV shows or movies or anything,_ Jounouchi responded wryly. _I don't exactly have too many games, but movies we could definitely do._

 _ **As for games,**_ **aibou** _ **and I sometimes play games against one another in his soul room as well.**_

 _Wouldn't that give Yuugi an advantage, though? Since it's in his mind—or his soul, whatever._ Jounouchi frowned in confusion. _But then again, you can hear his thoughts, so that would give you an advantage too, wouldn't it?_

The spirit chuckled. _**Yes, you are correct on both accounts—however**_ **aibou** _ **and I are able to block our thoughts from each other with some effort, so it isn't impossible to play a fairly matched game with one another.**_

 _Well, when there's a will there's a way, I guess,_ Jounouchi replied. _My offer from last time still stands though—if you want to use my body to play an actual game against Yuugi, you're more than welcome to._ He grinned as he added, _Hell, I'd pay good money to see a game between you two—I'm sure neither of you would go down without a fight._

Yami let out a soft laugh. _**It would most certainly be a game worth watching, and I would love to be able to have an all-out game against**_ **aibou** _ **someday, so I may very well take you up on that offer if you truly don't mind.**_

Jounouchi was about to respond, but an arm suddenly swinging over his shoulders cut off his train of thought, and he looked to the side in surprise to find Honda next to him.

"What are you grinning and zoning out over, huh?" the brunet asked, before belatedly noticing the pendant around Jounouchi's neck. "You've got the puzzle again?"

"Yuugi asked me to look after it for him for the weekend—and I wasn't zoning out, I was talking with Yami," Jounouchi responded, giving his friend a playful shove with his shoulder. "You interrupted our conversation, jerk."

"Well _excuse_ me for spotting my best bud walking home and catching up to say hi," Honda replied as he pulled back, his faux insulted expression quickly fading into one of curiosity as he asked, "So, what were you two talking about?"

"Yami using my body to play a game against Yuugi—who do you think would win?"

"Huh, that's a tough one… I can't see either of them losing, honestly," Honda replied, his eyebrows furrowed in thought.

"Right? Obviously one of them would have to lose, unless they end up getting a draw or something."

"Which could happen, knowing how good those two are," Honda added.

Jounouchi grinned. "We could totally do a betting pool."

"Yeah, except everyone watching would think it's you playing against Yuugi and would automatically put their bets on Yuugi," Honda pointed out with an amused expression.

"True… wait, hey! People might bet on me too, you know!"

"Yeah, maybe people who like rooting for the underdog," the brunet replied teasingly.

Yami watched the exchange with an amused expression, unwilling to interrupt and enjoying being able to observe his friends being themselves without the stress of anything important being on the line—though he most often switched with Yuugi during times of danger, it was peaceful moments like this that he truly treasured the most. The spirit continued to remain quiet even as the subject of conversation changed, not wanting to distract Jounouchi from his thoughts.

"So, why did Yuugi need you to look after the puzzle, anyway?"

Jounouchi frowned. "His parents are in town for the weekend apparently, and he and Yami both decided it would be better if he didn't have the puzzle with him when he met up with them—less questions for him to answer and stuff, y'know."

"Makes sense," Honda replied with a nod, before glancing down at the puzzle as he asked, "So you and Yami can still communicate and stuff? Can he see and hear everything?"

"Yep." Jounouchi gave a small nod in the direction of the floating spirit as he replied, "He's been out here this whole time."

 _Yami, why don't you take over for a bit?_

Yami looked surprised at the sudden offer. _**Are you sure?**_

 _Yeah—you get to walk around and talk with us, and I get to be lazy and float around. Sounds like a win-win to me._

The spirit couldn't help but laugh at that. _**Very well then.**_

Honda blinked in surprise when the puzzle suddenly flashed, the change in Jounouchi's eyes and posture both signifying that the person walking alongside him was not the same person he'd been talking with. "Can't say I'm used to seeing you switch like that, at least not with Jounouchi," Honda commented with a touch of amusement.

"I must admit, I'm not exactly used to it myself," Yami replied. "It's a bit disorienting."

"Well considering how you're used to sharing a body with Yuugi, I can only imagine how different using that musclehead's body must be."

 _Who're you calling musclehead?!_

A flash of amusement crossed Yami's face before his expression fell into thought. "The difference in strength is one thing, surely, but… I suppose what's most disorienting is seeing things from such a… high vintage point."

Honda blinked as he processed Yami's words before beginning to laugh, as did Jounouchi as he floated alongside them.

"Yeah, Jounouchi is definitely a lot taller than Yuugi," Honda replied with an amused expression that faded into one of curiosity as another thought hit him. "Speaking of Jounouchi, where is he now?"

"He's floating alongside us in spirit form." Yami smiled as he added, "He was the one that offered to let me take over, so that he could—as he put it—'be lazy and float around'."

 _Hey, walking is hard work, alright? Who_ _ **wouldn't**_ _choose to float around instead?_

Honda rolled his eyes. "That sounds like Jounouchi, alright."

Jounouchi huffed. _And what's that supposed to mean?_

He wasn't expecting an answer, nor was he actually irritated—in fact, he was actually pleased to see Yami and Honda conversing with one another. He knew that Yami only really came out whenever there were games involved (and usually danger as well), so he was more than happy to watch Yami and Honda having a casual conversation about whatever things came to mind as they walked at a leisurely pace.

(True, Honda seemed to be carrying the bulk of the conversation through constantly asking the pharaoh different questions, but Yami seemed more comfortable answering questions and explaining things rather than coming up with conversation starters of his own, so it was all for the best. Jounouchi had a feeling Honda somehow already picked up on that and was asking questions on purpose, but considering how observant the brunet was, he wasn't exactly surprised.)

Eventually they reached the street where Jounouchi and Honda would have to part ways to return to their respective homes, and Honda gave Yami a friendly clap on the shoulder.

"It was good talking to you—you should come out and hang out with us more often; I'm sure Yuugi wouldn't mind, and Jounouchi obviously wouldn't mind either."

Yami looked surprised by this for a moment before his expression settled into a grateful smile. "It was nice talking with you as well. I know _aibou_ and Jounouchi-kun wouldn't mind, and... I look forward to coming out and spending more time with everyone."

Honda returned Yami's smile with one of his own. "Glad to hear it." He began walking away, giving a wave over his shoulder as he added, "Good luck with dealing with Jounouchi all weekend, hope he doesn't drive you nuts!"

 _Hey!_

Yami laughed. "I'm sure he won't. Have a good weekend."

Jounouchi huffed and flipped Honda off before turning his attention over to Yami, who glanced over at him in return.

 _I'm guessing we should switch back before my body gets too exhausted or something?_

 _ **I was thinking the same thing—provided you're done being lazy, that is,**_ Yami added teasingly.

 _When am I ever done being lazy?_ Jounouchi responded with a grin, before closing his eyes as he felt himself being pulled back into his body.

Once he could feel the ground beneath his feet, Jounouchi reopened his eyes, taking a moment to reorient himself before glancing over at Yami with a smile.

 _Alright, let's go home._

* * *

Jounouchi grimaced as they entered the apartment to find it a complete wreck.

"Sorry about the mess, I can't really get much cleaning done with my dad around," Jounouchi apologized, feeling more comfortable speaking with the spirit aloud now that they were in the privacy of his apartment.

 _ **No need to apologize. Unfortunately there isn't much I can do like this to help you straighten up….**_

Jounouchi waved off Yami's apology with a shrug as he started straightening up. "It's fine; it's a small apartment anyway, so it's not like it takes too long to clean up," he responded wryly.

Yami floated off to the side with a frown, staying out of the blond's way as he cleaned up all the garbage and empty bottles of alcohol that littered the floor.

 _ **Your father should be the one cleaning up after his own messes.**_

"My father should do a lot of fucking things that he doesn't do," Jounouchi grumbled in response as he finished tossing all the garbage and bottles littering the living room floor into a bag. He felt more than saw Yami's irritation and disapproval towards his father, and he felt his own irritation simmering down in response as he glanced over at the spirit with a smile. "Don't worry about it—I'm slowly saving up my money, and once I have enough saved I'm planning on getting out of this dump and actually doing something with my life."

Yami's expression softened for a moment before he gave his friend a confident smile. _**I know you will go far no matter what you decide to do with your life, Jounouchi-kun.**_

Jounouchi's heart swelled, feeling—for the umpteenth time—so incredibly grateful for Yami's unconditional support and unwavering confidence in him. "Thanks. That means a lot to me." And it did, more than Jounouchi could ever properly express.

As the spirit watched Jounouchi swiftly clean up the apartment before moving to the kitchen and beginning to cook, a thought occurred to him.

 _ **You know, I don't think anyone would ever expect you to be as good at cleaning and cooking as you are. I'm impressed.**_

Jounouchi blushed lightly, refusing to look in the spirit's direction even as he answered, "Well it was either learn to do it all myself or live in a roach-infested pigsty and starve." He shrugged. "I don't exactly consider myself great at cooking or cleaning, but I can at least get the job done decently enough."

 _ **Still, I know from watching**_ **aibou** _ **that it isn't easy. Give yourself some credit.**_

Jounouchi gave another modest shrug in response before finally glancing over at Yami with a curious expression as he asked, "Stupid question, but can you eat like that?"

 _ **Unfortunately I can't, not unless I have a physical body to eat with.**_

"So then use my body, at least to try some." With a sheepish smile, he added, "No one's ever actually tried my cooking before, and I'm not exactly a picky eater, so I really don't know if it's actually any good or not."

Yami smiled. _**I would be honored to try your cooking.**_

Jounouchi's expression lit up, and he quickly turned back to face the stove in a poor attempt to hide his relief and excitement. "Alright, well it'll be done in just a few more minutes."

The blond kept his gaze firmly fixed on the pan in front of him, ignoring both the blush that was heating up his face and the spirit that was hovering over his shoulder and observing him curiously. It wasn't that he was bothered by Yami's proximity—it was the opposite, actually, though he couldn't let himself dwell on his thoughts or feelings for too long lest Yami pick up on them.

The last thing he wanted was to lose his best friend over a stupid unrequited crush.

Thankfully, the timer going off was enough to pull Jounouchi from his thoughts before the spirit could pick up on them, and he quickly turned off the flames and tested the food to make sure it was fully cooked before nodding in satisfaction.

"Alright, dinner is served!" he declared with an exaggerated flourish as he served the food onto a plate, earning an amused chuckle from the spirit.

 _ **It looks and smells delicious,**_ Yami commented, looking at the plate of food as Jounouchi set it down on the kitchen table.

"Yeah, but does it _taste_ delicious is the question," the blond responded, and Yami took that as his cue to slip into Jounouchi's body, who quickly relinquished control over to him and took his place as a spirit floating next to his own body.

 _I think I'm really getting the hang of this whole switching thing,_ Jounouchi absently thought as he gave his friend a grin.

"You certainly are." Yami gave Jounouchi a smile in return as he sat down and picked up his chopsticks. He watched out of the corner of his eye as Jounouchi hovered nearby with a nervous expression, as if he was a critic that Jounouchi was trying to impress, and he turned briefly to give his friend a reassuring smile before taking his first bite of food.

 _Well? How is it?_ Jounouchi asked, watching Yami's expression for any sign of disgust or distaste.

"It tastes just as delicious as it looked and smelled," Yami responded. "You did an excellent job."

Relief lit up Jounouchi's features before he quickly puffed up with pride. _Of course I did! I knew my cooking was amazing, why wouldn't it be?_

Yami chuckled, taking a few more bites before sitting back with a smile. "Now that I've had a taste of your cooking, I should really give you control back—I don't want to exhaust your body."

Jounouchi nodded, moments before he felt himself being pulled back into his own body. He took a second to reorient himself before glancing back over at the spirit floating next to him. "Want to go watch some movies? I just got a few new action ones about a week ago that I haven't gotten around to watching yet."

Yami gave the blond a smile as he replied, _**I'd love to.**_

With a grin, Jounouchi brought his plate of food into the living room, taking a few seconds to set up the first DVD before plopping himself down on the couch with Yami by his side and pressing play.

"Alright, it's movie marathon time!"

* * *

Three movies, two plates of food, and a bag of popcorn later found Jounouchi sprawled out on the couch, already beginning to doze off.

 _ **Perhaps you should go to bed and get some rest,**_ Yami suggested, having shifted up to sit on top of the back of the couch so Jounouchi would have room to lie down.

"Mmh… but it's still early…."

 _ **It's past midnight,**_ Yami replied in an amused tone. _**I think that's a fairly normal time to go to sleep.**_

"Fine, fine," Jounouchi grumbled, though there was no malice in his tone. With minor difficulty, he managed to pull himself up off of the couch so he could go to the bathroom and get himself ready for bed.

As soon as Jounouchi entered his bedroom, he found the spirit of the puzzle sitting on the edge of his bed, and he gave Yami a smile as he sat down next to him.

"So what do you do all night, anyway? Do you sleep too?"

Yami shook his head. _**Unfortunately, I'm unable to sleep—so instead I merely use this time to think.**_

Jounouchi's smile faded slightly. "Think about what?"

 _ **The past. The future.**_

The spirit's answer was vague at best, but Jounouchi had a feeling that even he himself didn't know what exactly he was trying to figure out. His expression softened slightly, and before he even knew what he was doing, his hand came to rest over Yami's—though he couldn't physically touch him, he could still at least try and offer some sort of support.

Yami looked surprised for a moment before giving Jounouchi a smile that made the blond's heart do back flips in his chest. _**Thank you, but you don't have to worry about me.**_

"Of course I do—friends worry about each other all the time," Jounouchi replied, before adding, "I don't know if it would help or anything, but… you're always welcome to spend the night in my soul room, if that'll help you pass the time until morning."

 _ **Jounouchi-kun….**_ Yami's expression softened in gratitude. _**I'd appreciate that.**_

Being in the light of his _aibou's_ soul room was always enough to chase the darkness of his thoughts away, and he had no doubt that the light of Jounouchi's soul room would help him just as much.

When Jounouchi moved his hand to cover up a yawn, Yami rose to his feet before disappearing.

 _Yami?_

 _ **Get some sleep, Jounouchi-kun,**_ the spirit replied. _**I will talk with you in the morning.**_

Jounouchi nodded and slipped under the covers as he laid down, already beginning to feel sleep tugging at him. He just barely managed to slip his mind into the bed in his soul room before he passed out into a deep, restful sleep.

* * *

Jounouchi awoke early the next morning to find Yami in his soul room, and he was about to call out to him when he realized that the spirit was looking intently at something that Jounouchi couldn't make out in his half-asleep state.

 _What…?_ Jounouchi blinked blearily as he sat up, confused by the guilty look on his friend's face as he turned to look at him.

 _ **Jounouchi-kun, you're awake. I apologize, I know you told me not to look but one of them caught my eye and….**_

It took Jounouchi a moment longer to understand what Yami was talking about, but once he caught sight of the pictures behind the spirit, his face erupted in color as he realized that Yami had seen the pictures that he'd been attempting to hide from him.

Immediately, Jounouchi jumped out of bed, and Yami winced, waiting for his friend's angry outburst (and perhaps even his command to leave his soul room and never enter it again—and what if he decided he didn't trust Yami anymore and didn't want to be anywhere near the puzzle? Yami couldn't stop the thoughts from swirling around his mind once they started.)

 _I'm sorry!_

Yami blinked—of all the things he'd expected, an apology wasn't one of them.

Jounouchi kept his gaze on the ground, unable to bring himself to even come close to looking his friend in the face. _I'm sure it weirded you out, seeing yourself in so many pictures in my soul room, but, well... you're really, really important to me, as a friend and…._ He trailed off, still too hesitant to even attempt confessing his true feelings when his friendship with Yami (and Yuugi) hung in the balance.

 _ **I wasn't "weirded out,"**_ Yami began slowly, the pieces beginning to fit together in his mind. _**In fact, I'm very flattered that I'm that important to you.**_

Jounouchi's blush darkened, yet he couldn't help but let out a relieved sigh, which prompted a smile from the spirit—apparently they'd both been worrying over nothing.

The blond hesitated for a moment, watching Yami carefully and gauging his previous reaction before finally giving in and blurting out, _There's a reason why I think you're that important to me. More than any of my other friends._

Yami looked surprised for a moment, and while he didn't want to get his hopes up only to have ended up coming to the incorrect conclusion, he still couldn't help the anticipation that tinged his voice as he asked, _**And what reason might that be?**_

 _Damn it, I didn't think it would be this difficult to spit out…._ Jounouchi grumbled to himself, before shaking his head and forcing himself to look Yami in the eye despite his embarrassment and nervousness as he replied, _It's because I love you!_

Yami's eyes widened at the confession—he'd had a feeling, but to hear his friend openly confess his feelings towards him like this…. Without a second thought, Yami strode forward, clearing the distance between the two of them and pressing his lips to Jounouchi's.

The blond let out a startled noise, his eyes widening briefly before they drifted closed as he wrapped his arms around Yami and eagerly kissed him back.

Even Jounouchi wasn't dense enough to not understand what a kiss like this meant, and even just the thought had him feeling like he was over the moon with joy.

Yami gave Jounouchi a soft smile when they pulled apart for air. _**I love you too. I'm just surprised by how long you've had feelings for me—had I realized, I would have done this a lot sooner.**_

 _Wait… you mean this whole time, you…._

Yami's expression shifted into one of amusement as he replied, _**Jounouchi-kun, I've loved you since before you even knew I existed.**_

The spirit didn't think it was possible for Jounouchi's face to get any redder than it already was, but apparently he was wrong as Jounouchi's blush darkened even more.

 _You… for that long…?_

Yami nodded, amused by Jounouchi's stunned expression, but his amusement quickly shifted to surprise as Jounouchi abruptly pulled him forward into another kiss that the spirit was more than happy to reciprocate.

The two of them fell back onto Jounouchi's bed as they continued to kiss, unwilling to part even when they had to break the kiss for air.

 _I never would've thought that you felt the same way I did,_ Jounouchi admitted. _That's why I never said anything sooner. I was happy just being able to be your friend, and I didn't want to lose that._ He intended on stopping there, but before he could stop it, his mind added, _I didn't want to lose_ _ **you**_ _._

Yami's expression softened, and he pressed another kiss to Jounouchi's lips before replying, _**I was afraid of losing you as well. I thought that you were only interested in being friends.**_

 _So basically, we were both worried about the same thing for nothing._ Though it was a bit disappointing to know that they had lost so much time that they could have been spending together as a couple, Jounouchi still couldn't help his amusement from showing as he said, _We're a real couple of dense idiots, aren't we?_

Yami laughed. _**I suppose we are,**_ he agreed, resting his forehead against Jounouchi's with a smile. _**But I suppose it's as they say, "better late than never."**_

Jounouchi grinned. _Yeah, definitely better late than never._ Unable to resist, he cleared the small bit of distance between their lips as he kissed Yami once more, finding the feeling of their lips moving against each other near addicting—and Yami certainly didn't seem to be complaining as he wrapped his arms around Jounouchi and pressed himself closer to the blond.

The best thing, Jounouchi absently realized, was that it was the weekend—no one would bother them, he didn't have to go to school or work, he didn't have to do _anything_ except stay in his soul room and enjoy the feeling of Yami's body pressed against his own and Yami's lips moving against his own.

Or at least, that's what he thought until his stomach eventually started growling, startling him and Yami out of what was most likely their umpteenth kiss since confessing to one another no less than an hour ago.

Jounouchi looked both sheepish and annoyed as he looked down at the spirit pinned beneath him on the bed, who in turn looked up at him with an amused expression.

 _ **Perhaps you should allow yourself to properly wake up so you can have something to eat.**_ Upon seeing Jounouchi's reluctance, he added with a sly smile, _**We have all weekend to continue where we started, so why rush?**_

 _All weekend…._ Jounouchi grinned at the reminder that he'd be spending the entire weekend alone with Yami—and now that the two of them put their feelings out in the open, he had a feeling that it was going to be a much more enjoyable (and much more intimate) weekend than he ever could have expected.

 _Alright, we'll continue later—as long as you come and join me in the kitchen._

Yami smiled and kissed Jounouchi's cheek, prompting a light blush from the blond. _**Of course.**_

He wouldn't want to be anywhere but by Jounouchi's side right now—and Jounouchi wouldn't have it any other way.

* * *

Though the weekend passed by far more quickly than either Yami or Jounouchi would have preferred, they could both agree that it was probably the best weekend of their entire lives.

(Or, well, of Yami's life in the puzzle since he couldn't remember his actual life—but their point still stood.)

After finishing lunch—Jounouchi had originally planned on making breakfast before realizing that it was already almost noon—the blond was tempted to return straight to his soul room and continue making out with his now-boyfriend, but when he realized that Yami had yet to see his favorite movie trilogy, he decided the make-out session could wait a little longer in favor of a little "cultural education," as he put it.

(Yami had a feeling it had just been an excuse for Jounouchi to gush over his favorite movies, though the spirit certainly didn't mind, as Jounouchi was extremely adorable whenever he got excited over anything.)

After finishing the movies, Jounouchi impulsively decided to take Yami out for ice cream and a visit to the arcade—which, he supposed, was as close as they were going to get to going on an actual date right now, even if they had to take turns enjoying the ice cream and the video games.

Though they didn't get back to the apartment until late that night, they still wore matching grins as they chatted and laughed and enjoyed one another's company all the way until Jounouchi settled himself down in bed.

(Then they enjoyed each other's company a different way throughout the night, which they had both been immensely looking forward to if Jounouchi immediately pulling Yami down onto his soul room bed and kissing the daylights out of him was any indication.)

The couple spent the next day more or less the same, instead trading ice cream and the arcade for a lazy day at home with pizza and the few video games that Jounouchi owned, and before they knew it—much to their mutual disappointment—Monday morning reared its ugly head to the tune of Jounouchi's alarm clock beeping at the ungodly hour of 7 am.

It was with much reluctance (and some prodding and pushing from Yami, along with one last kiss) that Jounouchi forced himself out of his soul room, out of his bed, and into the bathroom to get ready for school.

 _ **You know, it isn't as if this is the last time we'll see one another,**_ Yami reminded him softly as he watched the blond practically drag himself to school, reluctance in each step that he took.

 _I know,_ he replied with a drawn-out sigh. _I know, I just… it won't be the same, you know? I can talk to you whenever I want like this, but once I give the puzzle back…._

Then, of course, there was the matter of telling Yuugi about his new relationship with his other half—he had no idea how this would effect his friendship with Yuugi, or if he would even feel comfortable with him and Yami having feelings for another.

 **Aibou** _ **already knows how I feel,**_ Yami supplied in an attempt to ease Jounouchi's nerves.

 _Well at least that's one less shock for him,_ Jounouchi replied wryly.

 _ **Everything will work out as it should.**_ Though Yami couldn't physically offer him support, he still draped his arms over Jounouchi's shoulders from behind, giving him as close to a physical hug as he could in his spirit form.

Jounouchi came to a stop as he closed his eyes and let out a soft breath, appreciating the gesture even if he could only barely feel it. When he reopened his eyes, he gave Yami a grateful smile. _Yeah, you're right. I'm worrying over nothing again—Yuugi's not the kind of guy to stop being friends with me just because I'm in love with you, and even if I can't talk with you like this anymore, I'll still be able to see you whenever you switch with Yuugi._

Yami gave Jounouchi a smile in return as he nodded in agreement, and without another word, the blond continued walking off towards the school gates in the distance, for once early enough that he could properly meet up with Yuugi before class began.

* * *

Though Yuugi knew that his puzzle—and his other self—were in very good hands, he still couldn't help but feel a bit nervous all weekend, his hands continuously moving on reflex to grasp the pendant that was no longer hanging around his neck.

So when Jounouchi walked through the classroom door, a grin on his face and the puzzle safely around his neck (along with his other half trailing behind him in spirit form), Yuugi had to repress the urge to let out a relieved sigh.

He was pretty sure that had been the longest time he'd gone since completing the puzzle without wearing it, and though he knew that Jounouchi and Yami enjoyed each other's company, a small, selfish part of him was just glad to be getting his puzzle back.

"Jounouchi-kun, good morning!" Yuugi greeted his friend with a bright smile that the blond was happy to return.

"Morning, Yuugi!" With only the slightest hint of reluctance (that Yuugi didn't seem to pick up on, thankfully), Jounouchi slipped the puzzle's chain off from around his neck and handed it back to its rightful owner. "How was your weekend with your parents?"

Yuugi took the puzzle back gratefully, slipping it on as he answered, "It was great! They were really happy to hear that I have lots of friends now, and we spent the weekend catching up on everything that's been happening over the past year—of course, I couldn't tell them anything about the millennium items and everything that happened with them, but they actually heard about me (or, well, Yami) winning in Duelist Kingdom and Battle City! I was really surprised!"

Jounouchi smiled as he listened to Yuugi speak. "I'm glad everything went well," he replied, genuinely happy for his friend—he knew that having parents that actually cared wasn't something to take for granted, and even if Yuugi's parents were constantly away on business, he could tell just from the way Yuugi spoke about them that they truly loved their son, just as Yuugi loved them.

"So, did you and my other self have a fun weekend together?"

Yuugi was confused as the blond began blushing, his confusion growing as his other self pointedly refused to meet his eyes with an embarrassed expression. "Jounouchi-kun?" he asked, looking at his friend worriedly. "Did something happen?"

"Well… yeah, I was actually planning on talking to you about it, but I wasn't expecting to bring it up so soon…." As Yuugi's expression grew more concerned, Jounouchi quickly added, "It's nothing bad—Yami and I had a great weekend together. We both had a really good time."

Yuugi relaxed, relieved that nothing bad had happened, before his expression fell into one of confusion. "So then what happened?"

"Uh…." Jounouchi hesitated for a moment. "Do you think we can talk for a bit in private? We've got a bit of time before class starts."

"Of course." Though Yuugi was still confused (and slightly concerned), he gave his friend a reassuring smile as he followed him out of the classroom and up to the roof so they could speak in private.

Jounouchi shifted from foot to foot nervously once the roof door was closed, trying to search for the right words to say before finally giving up and blurting out, "I confessed to Yami!"

Yuugi blinked. "Confessed?" As he saw Jounouchi's blush and felt his other self's embarrassment, it finally clicked, and his expression brightened into an overjoyed grin as he gave the blond a hug. "Congratulations! I'm so happy for you guys! I thought you might have had feelings for my other self, but I was never one hundred percent sure and I didn't want to get his hopes up—"

"Wait, wait, hold on." Jounouchi pulled back from his friend's hug in order to properly look at him, his face still bright red in embarrassment. "You're alright with this? It doesn't bother you at all?"

"Of course I'm alright with it, and why would it bother me? I'm happy for you both!"

"But… you guys share a body; doesn't it make you… I don't know, uncomfortable or anything?" Jounouchi continued to stare down at his friend incredulously, part of him unable to believe that Yuugi could really be this pure and this _good_ that he genuinely wouldn't have any objections.

Yuugi took Jounouchi's hands in his own and gave them a light squeeze as his smile softened. "Jounouchi-kun, it's _because_ my other self and I share a body that I know just how long he's had feelings for you—how could I be anything other than overjoyed that my best friend and my other self both return each other's feelings?"

"Yuugi…." Jounouchi pulled his friend into a hug. "Thank you. Seriously, you're the best friend I could ever ask for."

Yuugi returned Jounouchi's hug before pulling back, and with one last smile, he wordlessly relinquished control over to his other half, who looked up at his boyfriend as he said, "I told you everything would work out."

Jounouchi laughed. "Yeah, guess so." With a giddy grin, he swept Yami up into his arms and pressed their lips together in their first physical kiss.

 _Just like Yami said, everything really did work out in the end—my nightmares are gone, Yami and I have an even closer connection than before, and Yuugi is completely supportive of our relationship._

Even as Jounouchi pulled back from the kiss to look Yami in the eye, both of them wearing matching smiles moments before they moved in for another kiss, he knew that the real challenge would be everything that happened from here on out. It would be hard, balancing a relationship with Yami and his friendship with Yuugi when he could only be with one or the other at a single time; not to mention the fact that he knew Yami still had the matter of discovering his true name left to figure out, which would no doubt throw them all into yet another crazy, dangerous, magical adventure that Jounouchi could only hope he'd be of use on.

But for now? Everything was perfect, and neither Jounouchi nor Yami could ask for anything more than that.


End file.
